This article deals with some characteristics of the professionals who attend the Course of Specialization in Public Health maintained by the University of São Paulo (USP). The study comprehends the years 1985 to 1994. The following variables were analyzed: year in which the course was carried out, period of classes, institutional link, professional category, gender, age, hometown, Brazilian macro-region and/or country of origin. The data were collected at the Students Section of the School of Public Health of USP, through an instrument conceived for this purpose. A database was created and a program specific for the statistical proceedings was used. The results pointed out significative changes in the students' characteristics during the period under analysis, notably the progressive decrease in the number of physicians and the growing interest of the social workers. The research also revealed that USP, formerly responsible for the formation of specialists in Public Health coming from many Brazilian macro-regions and even from abroad, has not been able to maintain this situation.
Public Health Teaching; Specialization in Public Health; Lato sensu Post-Graduation; Human Resources in Health
